The School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science at the University of NSW will today host a lecture by controversial coal seam gas company Eastern Star Gas (ESG). UNSW students, with The Wilderness Society, are organising a protest outside the lecture to oppose ESG’s plans to put gas wells through the Pilliga Scrub and to question the extent of financial support between ESG and UNSW which may impact the university’s independence.

Commenting on today’s Jobs Forum in Canberra, Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon said the event highlighted the need to develop detailed renewable energy industry plans at both a national and regional level to help stimulate the ailing manufacturing sector and create long-term sustainable employment.

Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon has labelled BHP Billiton's call for 170,000 workers as an attempt by the multinational to intimidate the federal government into designing job policies that suit the mining industry at the expense of NSW and other states suffering from mining boom related pressures ("We'll need 170,000 workers, says BHP", SMH p 1 today).

"Australia urgently needs more skilled workers, but this should not be limited to the needs of mining companies," Senator Rhiannon said.

Greens Senator and local government spokesperson Lee Rhiannon, in a speech to Federal Parliament celebrating 20 years of Greens representation on local councils, has highlighted Newcastle and Marrickville as home to the party's first elected Councillors in 1991.

Senator Rhiannon's speech to the Senate on Tuesday 20 September can be found here.

Greens NSW Senator and Forests spokesperson Lee Rhiannon and Greens NSW MP and Forestry spokesperson David Shoebridge are in Bega today to hold a public meeting on the carbon price package and what it means for the NSW Far South Coast. They will also join local environmental campaigners to visit Tanja State Forest, due to be logged in coming weeks.

Australian Greens Senator for NSW and forests spokesperson Lee Rhiannon says the major parties' refusal to rule out federal funding to support the operations of the proposed Eden wood-fired power station, by voting against a motion she put to Federal Parliament yesterday, suggests the proposal could still have life.

The full motion and debate from Hansard is provided below. Senator Rhiannon and NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge are visiting South East NSW next Tuesday 30 August.

The climate challenge is also an opportunity to transform Australia into a clean energy powerhouse that creates new jobs and a cleaner planet. As one of the sunniest and windiest countries in the world, Australia can lead the transition to a clean energy powered future.